Instagram advertising lets you put super relevant, visually-rich ads in front of your ideal customers. It’s a marketer’s dream come true. But with so many formats, pricing options and creative considerations, it can be overwhelming if you’re just starting out.
Ready to dive into Instagram ads? Follow along as we walk you through the steps, tips and tools to turn scrolls into results.
How to Advertise on Instagram: Options
Instagram ads look just like regular posts, but they’re paid content designed to reach users across the platform. And because they look like posts, they blend in with the app’s native experience, making them less intrusive and more engaging.
Unlike regular posts, ads on Instagram are shown to a broader, customized audience beyond your followers. You can choose from targeting options based on behaviors, demographics, interests, and location.
Instagram ads come in many formats:
- Explore: Ads shown when users browse trending content in the Explore tab
- Feeds: Instagram sponsored posts that look like regular photo or video updates
- Reels: Short, engaging ads placed between other Reels for maximum visibility
- Shopping: Product-based ads linked directly to in-app purchases
- Stories: Full-screen content inserted between other user Stories
To create an ad, you can either boost an existing post or use Meta Ads Manager for more control over budget, format, and audience targeting.
Option 1: Boosting an Instagram Post
Boosting a post is the fastest way to turn your existing content into an ad (paid post). It’s an ideal choice, whether you’re new to Instagram sponsored posts or just looking for the biggest impact with minimal effort.
To boost a post on Instagram, follow these easy steps:
- Go to your Instagram profile and select a high-performing post to convert into an ad.
- Tap the Boost button below the image, and decide whether you want users to visit your profile, visit your website, or send you a message.
- Choose your target audience by either letting Instagram automatically choose users who are similar to your existing followers or defining your own preferences, such as age, gender, or interests.
- Select how much you want to spend on Instagram advertising and how long the ad should run, reviewing Instagram’s daily reach estimates to be sure they align with your needs.
- Confirm your selections and submit your ad for review. It will go live within 24 hours.
Option 2: Meta Ads Manager
If you want even more control and customization over your marketing efforts, opt for the Meta Ads Manager. It lets you build detailed campaigns and enjoy total control over targeting and formats, with detailed performance tracking.
To use the Instagram ads manager, follow these easy steps:
- Set up an account with Meta Business Suite if you haven’t already done so, and connect your Instagram account to a Facebook Business Page.
- Click the Create button to launch a new campaign.
- Choose your campaign objective from the list: awareness, traffic, or engagement.
- Give your campaign a name, set your budget and ad schedule.
- Define your engagement targets by age, interests, location, and more.
- Decide where your ad will appear: Feeds, Stories, or Reels.
- Create your ad by uploading visuals, adding text, and inserting links.
- Set up the performance metrics you’d like to track, like views, clicks, and cost-per-result.
- Preview your ad and then press the Publish button to launch it.
Instagram Ads Formats
You have a lot of options when running ads on Instagram, including your visual format. Let’s go through the various ad formats you can choose from.
Image Ads
Use a simple, straightforward photo in Feed, Explore or Stories. This is the best option if you have a clear, eye-catching visual and a simple message or call to action. Single-image ads work well for brand awareness or announcing limited-time offers.
Video Ads
With Instagram video ads, you can upload videos of up to 60 seconds in Feed or 15 seconds in Stories and Reels. You can use motion, sound, and text overlays to demo products, share behind‑the‑scenes content, or tell a quick brand story.
Carousel Ads
Carousel ads let you upload swipeable images or videos. Choose this type of ad for showcasing product lines, launching a step-by-step tutorial or presenting a single item from multiple angles.
Stories Ads
Immersive and effective, Instagram Story ads show up between organic Stories so they blend right in and look less like ads. They are good for brand awareness and time-sensitive promos.
Reels Ads
Instagram Reels ads are another form of immersive advertising. They also appear between user‑generated Reels, so your ad is in front of viewer eyes as they’re scrolling through content.
Explore Ads
You can choose photos or videos for ad placement within the Explore Feed. These types of ads reach users who are actively browsing for new content, so they’re great for finding new customers beyond your existing follower base.
Collection Ads
With Collection ads, you upload a cover photo or video that’s followed by a swipeable product gallery. When users tap your ad, it opens to your storefront, so customers can easily make a purchase.
Instagram Ads Cost
When you advertise on Instagram, you don’t pay a one-size-fits-all price tag. The cost of Instagram ads varies widely depending on the type of ad you choose, your target audience, the ad objective, seasonality, and other factors.
Here’s a breakdown of average Instagram advertising costs per metric:
- Cost per thousand impressions: ~$13.00
- Cost per click: ~$1.50
- Cost per engagement: ~$0.06
- Cost per lead: ~$9.50
- Cost per install: ~$2.00
How to Run Ads on Instagram Efficiently: Tips & Tricks
Turning a budget into results on Instagram means more than just pressing “Boost.” Successful advertisers think mobile‑first, keep relevance high, and fine‑tune dozens of small levers that influence cost and performance.
Below are two core pillars — plus a few extra tactics — that separate average campaigns from great ones.
Mobile-First Approach in Instagram Advertising
Instagram is a mobile-first platform, which means its content is almost entirely consumed on mobile devices like phones and tablets. As such, ads that you run here must look and feel like they belong on a mobile screen. To this end, you have to carefully consider:
- Format — your ads need to be in vertical formats, in the appropriate aspect ratios, to fill the screen and feel natural for scrolling.
- Element placement — be sure to keep your ad copy, logos, and other important info away from the top and bottom margins so they aren’t inadvertently covered by interface elements.
- Readability — Instagram users are always on the go, moving rapidly from Stories to Reels in their efforts to stay entertained, so make sure your primary copy or caption stays short and easily readable.
- Loading Times — many Instagram users are accessing the platform via a mobile connection, so be careful not to upload content that will be slow to load.
Instagram Ads Relevance
An interesting thing about Instagram’s algorithm is that it scores each ad run on its platform on three diagnostics: quality ranking, engagement rate ranking, and conversion rate ranking.
When your metrics are high — i.e. you have lots of views, likes, and comments, meaning consumers enjoy your content — your cost per impression and cost per click go down.
This translates to you actually paying less for Instagram advertising because the platform is rewarding you for creating content that users enjoy.
How do you create Instagram ads that are relevant and that users will love?
Consider the following:
Audience
Target users with genuine interests, demographics, and behaviors. For example, a skincare brand aiming for those who care about “beauty”, “skincare”, and “vegan” will likely be better received than one that tries to reach a hypothetical woman aged anywhere from 18 to 60.
Pain‑Point Identification
Users don’t like generic hype; if they’re going to be sold something, they want to know that it will solve a particular problem. So rather than saying, “best lotion ever!”, tell them how it “relieves dry skin overnight” or “reduces lines and wrinkles in two weeks”.
Invisible Selling
Instagram users love to buy online, but they don’t always appreciate ads being shoved in their face. Instead, you have to be clever about your marketing strategy. Rather than scream “buy now!”, tell the user a story: describe a customer’s before/after journey or provide a helpful product demo or tutorial. You need to be subtle when selling, letting the customer make the decision to buy rather than convincing them that they have to.
Ads Users Skip
Now that you know what consumers like, keep in mind what they don’t. Ironically enough, they don’t like ads that are clearly ads. Remember: Users don’t come to Instagram for ads, they come for entertainment.
As soon as a user’s “ads filter” is triggered, they’re going to scroll away, which will result in higher advertising Instagram advertising costs for you. To keep this from happening, don’t do the following:
- Use giant discount overlays that scream “sale”
- Use ALL‑CAPS, excessive hype words, or spam with emojis
- Use stock photos or overly polished product shots that look disconnected from real life
- Autoplay loud audio or sudden music that will trigger an automatic swipe
- Use tiny print or cluttered graphics that force users to squint
Your Competitors’ Instagram Ads: Learning Best Practices
Keeping an eye on the ads of your competitors can reveal some stunning insights. For example, you can learn about what messages, angles, and formats are working within your niche. The idea isn’t to copy your competitors, but rather use these insights to improve your own strategies.
Here’s a step-by-step guide for using the Meta Ad Library to check competitor ads:
- Identify your competitors: Make a list of direct rivals, emerging brands, and leading influencers in your space. If you’re unsure who to track, try Inflact’s Profile Search to find key competitors by category or keyword.
- Search the Meta Ad Library: Use the search bar to find a competitor and see their active ads. If necessary, filter by country to location-specific ads.
- Check out specifics. Click See Ad Details to see start date, format variations, advertising platforms, destination links, and spending numbers.
From here, take note of patterns, like headline style, content length, special offers, and how long the ads have been running. Those that have been running the longest are usually the most successful Instagram ads, so take careful notes.
Another way to explore and monitor Instagram ads examples from competitors is to use our Instagram Viewer. With our tool, all you have to do is enter a competitor’s username. After that, you’ll instantly see their public Instagram feed, Stories, Reels, and Highlights, without the need to log into Instagram.
Scroll through their latest updates, note which posts are marked “sponsored” or use ad‑style calls‑to‑action, and capture screenshots or ideas for use as inspiration for your own ads, all while staying completely anonymous.
Want to learn more? Check out our step-by-step tutorial for the Instagram Viewer on our YouTube Channel:
Key Takeaways
For your convenience, here’s a summary of the key points discussed in this article:
- Instagram ads can easily blend in with organic content, yet they also offer precision targeting when you use the Boost button or the Meta Ads Manager.
- You have a variety of ad formats from which to choose, including image, video, carousel, Stories, and Reels, allowing you to create interesting content that helps you reach your marketing goals.
- Adherence to mobile‑first principles is a must. If your ads don’t look good on a phone, you won’t see conversions.
- Relevance drives down the cost of Instagram advertising. Ads that match user interests earn higher quality scores, which lowers your cost per impression or click.
Good luck with your next Instagram ads campaign!
FAQ
How much does it cost to advertise on Instagram?
You have a ton of control when it comes to deciding how much you’ll spend to advertise on Instagram. The platform allows you to start with a budget as low as $1 per day, and you’ll find the average cost of engagement is about $0.06, while the average cost per click is about $1.50 and the average cost per thousand impressions is about $13.00.
How to run Instagram ads?
When running ads on Instagram, you have two options:
- Boost one of your existing posts to turn it into an ad. Just tap Boost to set a goal, audience, budget, and duration, and then publish.
- Use the Meta Ads Manager to create ads, pick an objective, define detailed targeting, set your budget and placements, upload your ad, and track results in real time.
You can also adjust the dates to get a look at how your insights have shifted over time. Reviewing this data regularly can definitely help to optimize your content approach.
Is it worth using Instagram ads?
If your audience is active on Instagram, there is no question that it makes sense to advertise on the platform. Instagram ads offer precise targeting, broad reach, and the opportunity to blend with organic content so that you see real results from your marketing efforts.
An Instagram stats Tracker follows engagement data, as well as the numbers in your follower growth. In addition to likes, comments, as well as changing engagement trends. You get the benefit of anonymous monitoring, as well as cross-device access.
